


yea, babe, no way

by librain



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bring Back Black | Sirius Black Returns From Beyond the Veil, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, Sirius Black Lives, Slow Burn, Songfic, and they were ROOMMATES, characters live bc I say so, lany
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:14:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24341887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/librain/pseuds/librain
Summary: Sirius will call Hermione 'babe' no matter the status of their relationship
Relationships: Sirius Black/Hermione Granger
Comments: 10
Kudos: 153





	1. “It’s Sirius, babe, has it really been that long?”

**Author's Note:**

> i was listening to lany and was inspired to write this. any plot is by accident i am literally making things up as i go. multichapter.

“Is anyone home?” Sirius Black shouted, then immediately cringed, looking to the wall where his mother’s portrait was hung only to notice it was missing. He took a look around the foyer, noting many of the garish Black decorations had disappeared, leaving Grimmauld looking brighter. 

Hermione Granger appeared in front of him with a kitchen knife in her hand. He took in her appearance as she stood there defensively. It was obvious five years had passed. She had grown taller, her hair long and she had lost some of the lankiness she had as a teenager. 

“Hermione! It’s so good to see you again,” he greeted jovially. “Although, I must say, the knife is a strange choice of weapon for a witch to use.”

“Bold of you to assume I need a wand to defend myself. Besides, the only wizards with access to my home use the Floo anyway, and you came through the front door. Who are you?”

“It’s Sirius, babe, has it really been that long?” he pulled some paperwork out of the pockets of the plain robes the Ministry had given him and passed them to her. She read the certification of life, signed by Minister Shacklebolt, and the notes from the Department of Mysteries confirming that he was, in fact, Sirius Black, returned from the Veil. 

Hermione gasped, “You’re real!” She ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him, to which he responded with a tight hug of his own. 

“Hermione, a little too close with that blade.”

“Oh right, well just follow me, I just started making dinner.” He followed her into the kitchen, noting that while she was still in her work clothes, she was in only her socks. He sat down at the table while Hermione got back to cooking dinner. 

“Where’s Harry?” Sirius asked. “I was told he lived here.”

“Oh, I’ve been telling him for months now to update his address with the Ministry. He lives in Godric’s Hollow with Ginny, they got married last year.”

Sirius was once again stunned at how much he had missed. He had been informed about the war, the status of the Order, and how much he had missed, but finding out his godson was now married made everything seem much more real. 

“What about you, then, why are you living in this dreadful place?”

“Harry and I moved in here after the war. He started Auror training and I went to Hogwarts for my NEWTs. I’ve been living here ever since.”

She paused her stirring and looked up at him.

“What happened Sirius? How are you here right now?”

“The Department of Mysteries had been trying to uncover the secrets of the Veil for years. Knowing I was the last in, they used me as their test subject. They’re now trying to track down how many people have actually fallen through the Veil and the actual logistics of bringing them all back, I didn’t listen too hard to what they were saying then. They also told me that my name had been cleared a couple of years ago by some ambitious junior litigator,” he smirked then. 

Hermione blushed, “It was nothing, really-”

“It’s everything, Hermione.” She blushed harder. 

She then served him dinner, and the two sat at the kitchen table eating, Hermione catching Sirius up on what has changed the past few years. 

“We should have an Order meeting,” she started, summoning parchment and a quill to start writing a letter. “Tomorrow is Saturday, so most everyone is off work. I’m sure Minerva will allow Remus to leave Hogwarts for the day if I say it’s an emergency.” She tapped her wand to the parchment, multiplying the one letter into a stack. 

“Remus is back at Hogwarts?”

Hermione smiled, “Yes, he’s the DADA professor again.”

She stood, waving her wand to send their dirty dishes to the sink and grabbed the stack of letters and went out the back door. Sirius followed her to what he remembered as the family’s owlery in their backyard, another large area obscured from muggles. The owlery was much emptier than it had been when he was a child hiding from his parents, home to only one owl who was very cross with his owner.

“I know, Ludwig, I’m sorry. If you would please deliver these letters, I won’t ask you for anything for a week, I’ll do all of my communicating myself,” Hermione whispered, attaching the letters to the owl. Ludwig hooted indignantly and flew off into the night. 

Sirius stayed leaning against the doorframe, smiling to himself. He remembered teenaged Hermione’s strong beliefs regarding the treatment of creatures, and it seemed nothing had changed. 

Hermione looked back at him sheepishly and the two went back into the house. 

“You must be exhausted; I’ll show you to your room,” Hermione said, leading the two of them up the stairs. 

“I know where it is Hermione.”

“Right, well, most of it has been packed up anyway. The furniture is still there, and everything has been cleaned. We put your belongings into boxes though, Harry didn’t know what to do with it and I didn’t have the heart to throw it out. I guess that worked out, didn’t it?” Hermione chuckled. 

They had reached the floor below where Sirius’s room was found and she stopped, “My room is here, it was the closest to the library.”

Sirius watched as she walked to the door next to the library, scooping up her cat, Crookshanks, from where he slept on a table in the hallway. She turned and looked at Sirius with a soft smile on her face. 

“I’m so happy you’re back, Sirius. Goodnight.”

She walked into the room and softly closed the door. Sirius walked up to his room, transformed into Padfoot, and collapsed on the bed immediately.


	2. “Think I’ll shock ‘em, babe?”

Hermione woke the next morning to the smell of coffee and remembered the events of the night before. She slipped her feet into some slippers and pulled on her house robe to go greet Sirius in the kitchen and go over the plan for the day. 

Sirius. 

Hermione could not believe that he had returned. After reading confirmation from the Ministry that it was really Sirius Black standing before her, she felt like she was on a high for the rest of the night. I wonder how Harry will react, or Remus, she thought to herself as she padded down the stairs into the kitchen. 

Upon entering she saw Sirius at the stove, humming to himself and flipping pancakes to add to the growing stack next to him. 

“Ah Hermione! I hope you’re hungry!” He slid a plate of pancakes and a cup of coffee across the island to where she sat, trying to not stare at his bare chest that gave her embarrassing reminders of the crush she had on him in her fifth year. 

“Thank you,” she replied, taking a sip. “I didn’t know you cooked.”

“Had to keep Moony and I alive somehow after Hogwarts, didn’t I?” He sat in the seat next to her and began to dig in, humming in approval at his own work. Hermione ate quietly, trying to wake up. She wasn’t a morning person and didn’t want to affect Sirius’s good mood. 

After they had both finished, Sirius spoke, asking, “So, how’s today gonna go?”

“I told everyone to be here for 1:00. I figure that will give us enough time to let them know and take a trip to Diagon Alley afterwards before the news is inevitably leaked to the Prophet. That way we can get you a new wand and anything else you would need, hopefully without anyone realizing who you are.”

Sirius nodded, “Well I better get dressed then, I trust that I do have some clothes in one of those boxes in my room?” Hermione nodded. “Fantastic. I’ll be going now, then, only a couple hours until I can see Harry again, gotta look my best!” 

Hermione chuckled as he bounded up the stairs, thinking that he would look good no matter what he did. 

Almost two hours later Hermione was dressed and knocking on Sirius’s door. She had put on a light pair of jeans with a black knit sweater, still only wearing socks on her feet. 

Sirius opened the door and the sight of him once again reminded her of the infatuation she used to have. Maybe not “used to” anymore, she thought. He wore snug black trousers that must have been from his teen years and a maroon button-down open so far Hermione could see his sternum. He seemed to find his old jewellery because he had rings on multiple fingers and a dog tag around his neck. 

“Think I’ll shock ‘em, babe?”

This was the second time he called her “babe” since returning, and Hermione figured this must just be the flirty Sirius she had heard of, now comfortable to speak to her like this since she was an adult. She was brought out of her staring to look up at Sirius, who was smirking down at her. 

“People should be arriving soon. I think it would be best if you waited outside the kitchen so I can give them a heads up before you come in and give them heart attacks.”

At that moment she heard the Floo in the drawing-room and voices heading down to the kitchen. 

“Okay, when I’m ready for you I’ll call.” At that she ran downstairs and was intercepted at the stairs by Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt. 

“Hermione! Does this meeting have anything to do with someone whose death certificate I had to shred?”

Hermione nodded, “Have you told anyone?”

“No, I wanted it to be a surprise.” The two walked into the kitchen to find it full. Around the table sat Harry and Ginny, Ron and Luna, Minerva McGonagall, Fleur with Victoire in her lap and Bill standing beside her, and Mr. Weasley at the head. Remus and Tonks stood in one corner, Teddy holding his father’s hand. Fred and George stood next to them, conspiring loudly. Hagrid took up a corner of his own while Mrs. Weasley was at the counter preparing tea. 

“I didn’t expect you all to be here already,” Hermione said. 

“You said there was an emergency,” Harry replied. 

“Oh, well I guess I didn’t really think that one through,” she chuckled awkwardly, looking around to see everyone’s serious faces relaxing slowly. 

“Ha! ‘Mione not thinking things through, that’s a laugh,” Ron exclaimed. 

“How about you explain why you asked us to be here,” Remus said encouragingly. 

Hermione took a deep breath. In all the excitement she hadn’t planned exactly how to explain the situation to everyone. 

“Well, it seems that the Department of Ministries has been experimenting on the Veil. They knew Sirius Black was the last person to fall through it, so they tried to retrieve him from it before they progressed further.”

She paused, looking at Harry, seeing the hope in his eyes. “It worked.”

“What do you mean, it worked?” Mr. Weasley asked for the group of confused faces. 

“Sirius?” she called shakily. 

He appeared moments later, “Yeah, babe?”

She furrowed her brow, then looked to the crowd of shocked faces, smiling weakly as she said, “Surprise?”

The room erupted into noise. Harry ran to give Sirius a crushing hug, then pulled him to one of the empty chairs where he immediately bombarded him with questions. Mrs. Weasley joined her husband in discussing Sirius’s return with the Kingsley. One of the twins had managed to summon bottles of champagne and there was the sound of corks being popped and shrieks as it sprayed on the group. 

Hermione stayed off to the side taking in the joy on her friends' faces. Ginny appeared next to her, having extracted herself from the commotion while her husband was distracted with his godfather.   
“So, babe?” Ginny prompted. 

Hermione cringed, “Oh, you know. Just Sirius being Sirius.”

“What I do know is sixteen-year-old Hermione would have just about died had Sirius Black called her “babe” back then.”

Hermione then heard Sirius’ barking laugh, his head thrown back, then meeting her eyes across the kitchen and winking at her. She blushed bright red. Ginny laughed beside her. 

“Shut it.”


	3. “Hermione and I have plenty of fun together, don’t we, babe?”

Sirius Black had been in the land of the living for a month and he and Hermione settled into a routine in Grimmauld Place. Weekdays she would go to work for the Wizengamot and he would laze around the house, sometimes going through boxes of old Black heirlooms and deciding which weren’t completely atrocious. Hermione would come home to dinner made by Sirius every night. She would bring case files to review for the next day and the two would spend hours together in the library, Hermione trying her best to get work done while Sirius tried his best to distract her. 

On the weekends Hermione would force Sirius out of the house. Saturday mornings they went grocery shopping in muggle London, often getting lunch while there. Sunday afternoons were always spent at the Burrow for games of Quidditch in the gardens and dinner made by Mrs. Weasley. 

It was still warm for September, so they all sat outside watching as Ginny crushed her brothers in a casual game of Quidditch, Luna commentating not unlike how she did while in school. Why any of them thought they stood a chance against a professional Chaser was beyond her, Hermione thought. 

Harry, not wanting to feed his wife’s ego any further, had come to sit next to Hermione on the grass. She put her book down to greet him and the two sat in silence for a few moments. They watched as Sirius ran behind Teddy, who Harry was babysitting for the day, on his toy broom he got for his birthday that year. 

“Careful Harry,” Hermione said. “Sirius might end up being the better godfather.”

Harry laughed, “I’d like to see him try, Teddy knows who got him his first broom, that will keep me on top forever.”

“And just who got you your first broom?”

Harry smiled at that, leaning back on his hands, legs stretched out in front of him. Hermione was once again reminded of how grateful she was for Sirius’s return. While at peace since the end of the war, she doesn’t think she’s ever seen her best friend so content. 

She then looked at the man in question. He was taking turns switching in and out of his Animagus form as the five-year-old giggled two feet off the ground. Though she hadn’t really known Sirius before he fell into the Veil, she remembered the shell of a man he used to be. Physically wasting away from his time in Azkaban, emotionally never healed from the loss of Harry’s parents and the betrayal from one of his best friends.

One of the nights they were together in the library, she felt bold enough to ask him about it. 

“Sirius, how are you, really?”

He looked up at her at one of the library tables from where he had been laying on the sofa, charming paper cranes to fly around him. He sat up, leaving the cranes suspended above him. 

“I’m fine, why do you ask?”

“Well it’s just that, well before, you were-”

“A disaster?” Sirius supplied.

“I wouldn’t word it like that, necessarily, it’s just that you have lost so much,” she knew she was rambling. “And with five years in the Veil on top of twelve in Azkaban, anyone would have cause to be upset, cripplingly depressed, really.”

“When have I ever been just anyone, babe?”

“Be serious, please.” She predicted his smirk before she saw it. To his credit he didn’t make a joke. He stood from the sofa and walked to where she was sitting, crouching to be eye-level with her.

“Hermione, I would be lying if thinking about the past doesn’t hurt. But I am so tired of being angry about it.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I have so much now to be grateful for, I only want to think about the future.”

She knew he was downplaying it immensely, but she wasn’t going to push him into speaking that night. He stood and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

“It’s getting late, I should get to bed,” he said. 

“I’m so sorry, Sirius. I didn’t intend to upset you.”

“You didn’t,” he said with a small smile. “Don’t stay up too late, you’ll be an even bigger nightmare in the morning.”

With one last flash of a playful smirk, he was gone. 

“This is the most you’ve visited in years,” Harry commented, breaking her out of her reverie. 

Hermione was quiet for a moment. She knew her relationship with the Weasleys had been strained since she ended their relationship a couple of years ago. Mrs. Weasley took it especially hard, nearly despondent at the thought that Hermione would not be joining their family any time soon. She didn’t like to talk about it with Harry, though, as this was his family now too. 

“It’s good for Sirius to get out of the house,” she said instead. “He can be around people who love him.”

“Everyone here loves you too, you know that, right? Even with everything that happened with Ron-”

“It’s not about Ron, Harry. I just wanted Sirius to leave Grimmauld more. It gets lonely there.”

Harry just looked at her, a small trace of worry flickered across his face. He was about to reply, but then Mrs. Weasley called them all in for dinner.

The group crowded around the magically lengthened table, bumping elbows as they passed plates and pitchers to one another. Hermione was squished between Harry and Sirius, with Ginny on Harry’s right, Luna, Ron, Fred, and George across from them, Teddy asleep in Ginny’s old bed upstairs. Sirius had been engaged in a discussion about the Ministry with Mr. Weasley when the twins interrupted. 

“So, Sirius, had the chance to work that famous Black charm on the young ladies of London, yet?” Fred started. 

“Or has our Granger been keeping our favourite dog on a leash?” George finished. 

Ron snorted. Hermione frowned at the insinuation that she kept anyone from having fun, as she was oft accused of, and the implication that she could keep Sirius Black of all people from doing what he wished was ludicrous. Still, she wondered if there was some merit in the thought that her living with him was impeding his ability to live his life, as it were. 

Sirius wrapped his arm around Hermione’s shoulders, replying, “Hermione and I have plenty of fun together, don’t we, babe?”

The twins roared with laughter as Hermione shoved his arm off of her. 

Mrs. Weasley looked scandalized, “Sirius Black if you are-”

“He’s joking, Molly,” Hermione interjected before things got too out of hand. Harry and Ron joined in on the twins’ laughter at the sheer ridiculousness of it all. 

“Well still,” Mrs. Weasley said indignantly, “It’s just not right, two single people living alone like that.”

“You had no problem when it was Harry living with Hermione,” Ginny said. 

“Well that was different,” Mrs. Weasley replied. 

Hermione obviously knew why it was different. Harry was practically her brother, dating Ginny no less. Sirius was a man, Harry’s godfather and twenty years her senior, but still a man. A man who was a known womanizer and spent all his time with her and called her “babe” almost exclusively. 

The conservation ended there, everyone returning to their meals. Sirius was quiet for the rest of the night, opting to leave soon after everyone was finished eating. Hermione followed shortly after, claiming she had to get to work early the next morning. 

“We’ll see you soon, right?” Ginny asked. 

“Of course,” Hermione replied, regretting her solitary behaviour of the past few months, even before Sirius returned. 

When she got home, she noticed all the lights were off. She headed up the stairs to find Sirius in the library, drinking Firewhisky in the dark. 

“Well this certainly isn’t healthy behaviour.”

Sirius snorted, then pat the spot on the sofa next to him. Hermione sat, slipping off her shoes and tucked her feet underneath her. 

“Do you want to talk about what has you drinking alone in the dark?” Hermione asked, grabbing the bottle from him and taking a swig herself. Sirius’ eyes widened at her lack of reaction to the drink. 

It was Hermione’s turn to snort. “Sirius, please, I’m almost twenty-two. I can handle the taste of firewhisky by now. Speak.”

He sighed, “How do you feel about this, us living together?” 

Hermione froze. She knew Mrs. Weasley could be conservative about some things, but she didn’t expect Sirius to agree with her. 

“I can move out as soon as possible, I’m sorry, I didn’t even consider-”

“Hermione, no, I’d go, this is much more your home than mine-”

“-I’ve just been living here, oh gods, I am a self-interested idiot-”

“-I just came home from the Ministry and didn’t leave, if anything it’s my fault-”

“It’s honestly just been so lonely here without Harry that I kind of wanted someone here.”

“-I enjoy spending time with you.”

They both stopped talking abruptly and realized what the other was saying. 

“So,” Hermione reached out her hand. “Roommates?”

Sirius shook it. “Roommates.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i clearly have no beta or posting schedule. im straight up writing and posting.


	4. “Do you think it’s enough to simply love platonically?”

Sirius was hyperaware of Hermione’s presence at Grimmauld. While he was glad that their living situation at been sorted out and he was appreciative of the things she had done to the place to make it seem more like a home, he couldn’t escape her. Despite how grand the home was he found himself drawn to whatever room she was in, talking about her day, telling stories of his wild past, or just simply observing her. 

In observing her he noticed a number of things. First, she twirled her hair when she read. Sometimes with her wand, mostly with her fingers, she would hold a curl between her fingers and let it loop through for hours while Sirius stared on. She frowned when she came across things she disagreed with and muttered things to herself. She would make multiple cups of tea a day because she forgot about the cup she had before. She sang as she cooked and cleaned and showered and her voice softly rang out through the house at most hours of the day. 

He loved it. Sirius loved the life brought into the house. After so many years of darkness in his childhood, the war, Azkaban, and after, Hermione lit up the room. 

He was sitting in the living room when he heard her come in the front door. 

“Sirius?” she called. 

“Yeah, babe?” He heard her come into the room and looked up. Her chest was heaving slightly from her run, face flushed and small curls escaping her bun and sticking to her neck. He looked over her body, the tight leggings and tank top, sweat making her chest glow. He gulped audibly. 

“What?” she asked, breathing heavily. 

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts, “Nothing.”

“Anyway, I ran into Ron at the Ministry today, he wants to know if we can go out for dinner tomorrow night. He said Harry, Ginny, Remus, Tonks, and maybe the twins will be there. I know it’s late notice but that’s Ron for you.” She huffed. 

“Sure, sounds fun,” he shrugged.

“Okay,” she smiled at him. “I’m going to go shower before dinner, do you just want to get takeaway tonight?”

“Whatever you want, babe.” He watched her leave, startled by the direction his thoughts had gone. He knew Hermione wasn’t a teenager anymore, but it was odd to realize she was a woman. He heard the shower start and Hermione singing some muggle song she had been obsessed with for the past week. At the sound of the water, he began to picture her taking her hair out of her bun, peeling off her sweaty clothes, stepping into the water, and-

“Snap out of it, Pads,” he chastised himself. 

Sirius was waiting by the Floo for Hermione to change after work. It was a Friday night and neither of them goes out often, so he was excited to see his friends. He was adjusting the sleeves of his black button-down when he heard the sound of her heels on the hardwood floor. He looked up and his eyes widened. Hermione’s hair was down in its wild curls, a rare change from her usual neat and tidy Ministry hairstyles. She wore a pair of tight denims and a loose, silk, red button-down that seemed like it might be one of his, but he didn’t mention it. 

“You ready to go?” 

He nodded and wrapped his arm around her waist inside the Floo. They arrived at the Three Broomsticks and Hermione immediately broke from his grasp to run to greet their friends. He watched as she gave Tonks a hug, talking to her about her recent pregnancy announcement. 

He felt the Floo behind him and then a hand grasping his shoulder. “Alright there, Pads?”

Sirius broke his gaze from Hermione to look at his smiling godson and his smirking wife. “Harry, Ginny, how are you both?”

“Things are great with us, how are things with you and Hermione?” Ginny asked, still smirking. 

“Great,” he looked back to Hermione seeing her laughing at a joke Tonks made while Remus looked very uncomfortable to his wife’s pleasure. 

They joined the others and went to find Ron and Luna at their table. Sirius pulled out a chair for Hermione and she smiled up in thanks. He noticed he could see her lace bra peeking out of her shirt and remembered his thoughts from yesterday. 

“So,” Sirius started. “Round of Firewhiskys for the table? Minus Tonks, of course.”

“And me.” Everyone looked down at Ginny at the end of the table. She and Harry had grins stretching ear to ear. Immediately everyone was shouting their congratulations, Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry with tears on her face. Sirius called for drinks for the table including a couple of non-alcoholic options. Once everyone settled and ordered their food, Ron spoke up. 

“Since we’re all sharing big news tonight,” he grabbed Luna’s hand on the table. “Luna and I are getting married.”

Cheers broke out once again. “That’s wonderful Ron,” Hermione said softly. Sirius looked over at the tight smile on her face. She took a big gulp of the wine in front of her and signalled for another, these actions going unnoticed by the other occupants of the table. He wrapped his arm around the back of her chair and rubbed her arm reassuringly. She looked at him and smiled in response. 

“You’ll be my maid of honour, right, Hermione?”

Hermione looked shocked. “Me?”

“Yes, of course, you, you’re one of Ron and I’s best friends.”

“Of course, Luna. I’d love to.”

They stayed a little longer, Sirius slowing down his drinking as he noticed Hermione’s level of intoxication rising. She started to lean into his shoulder, her eyes drooping. 

“Alright, friends, I think it’s time I get this one home.” He stood, wrapping his arm around her waist as she waved to the chorus of goodbyes from the table. 

He flooed them directly into the library and he guided her to the couch. She rested her head on the armrest as he sat on the floor in front of her and he summoned a pitcher of water and a Sober-up potion. They sat in silence for a while, slowing sobering due to the potion. 

“So,” Hermione started. “A baby.”

“And a wedding,” Sirius replied. 

She sighed, “Yes, a wedding.”

“How do you feel about that? I remember you two when you were teenagers, I thought you would end up the next Mrs. Weasley.”

“Oh, god,” she huffed, carding her fingers through Sirius’s hair in front of her. He shivered at the contact. “No disrespect to Molly, of course, but I could never. Granted, I thought I would too, at one point, I fancied myself in love with him.”

“Then what happened?”

“The war, maybe, or maybe it was everything else.” She continued playing with his hair. “I was too much of a mess to even consider a relationship. Besides, I could never be what he wanted, and he knew that I think. I was focused on my career, uninterested in the idea of children, running a household, or any of the things Ron was looking for.”

She looked down at him, “What about you, Sirius? Has the legendary ladies’ man ever been in love?”

He thought for a moment. “I don’t think so. Never had enough time for it, I suppose. Nothing was very committed during my time at Hogwarts, as I’m sure you’ve heard.” She laughed. “But no, after school was war, and then Azkaban, then death.”

He realized just how depressing that sounded. She began to stroke his hair comfortingly. “I spent most of my time with my friends. Remus, James, Lily… Peter. They were my family. I always considered what it would be like to have what James and Lily had, but I guess it was just never for me.”

She hummed in response. “I understand. I've tried to date. Victor in school, Ron was a possibility after the war, and Fleur is always trying to match me up with one of the many men she meets at Gringotts. The idea of falling in love was always appealing to me. I don't know though, I fear I just wasn't made for romantic love. Or maybe I was once, but my circumstances changed. ”

Sirius understood. When he was younger, he thought that a love like James and Lily was rare, but then he saw Remus and Tonks, and Harry and Ginny, and realized that it was possible for other people. Maybe all these years lost took away that chance for him. Hearing Hermione's voice the same fears made him feel less alone. “Do you think it’s enough to simply love platonically?”

“I hope so.”

At her response, the feeling of her hands through his hair, Sirius decided that he would love this girl, this woman, even if platonically, for as long as he could. He would make sure that even if she ended up married with children or they both grew old and grey single in Grimmauld Place together, he wouldn’t let her feel unloved for as long as they both lived.


	5. "I’m going to show you what it’s like to be led by a man."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally, another chapter!  
> as always, grammarly is my beta and I am posting almost immediately after writing.  
> i hope you enjoy

Hermione was in trouble. It had been three months since Sirius’ miraculous return from the veil and she could not stop thinking of the man. They spent most of their time together now, a fact that her friends hadn’t failed to pick up on. 

“‘Ermione! Itz been too long!” Fleur cried in her accented English, arms spread to wrap her in a delicate hug. 

Hermione chuckled, feeling the woman’s dainty arms around her, and greeted her other two friends who were huddled over the Weasley’s enormous dining table, somehow entirely covered with various bridal paraphernalia. 

“I just saw you at Sunday dinner. It’s Tuesday!” Hermione defended playfully. 

“Ah, but you are required to come to those,  _ non _ ?” 

Hermione withheld her reply that  _ no _ , she was  _ not _ required at those dinners anymore as she was not a Weasley and unless Charlie suddenly realized he was not, in fact, into blokes, she never would be. Instead, she smiled, draping her cloak over one of the empty chairs, and sat across from Luna, who sat with a blissful smile on her face as Ginny excitedly flipped through a Muggle magazine next to her. 

“Hello, Hermione,” Luna greeted dreamily, like usual. “You are looking  _ desiring _ , lately.”

Ginny laughed, “I think you mean,  _ desirable _ , Luns.”

“No, no,” she shook her head. “Desiring. You are exceptionally more yearnful. I can tell, your earlobes have angled outwards by at least twelve degrees more than usual.”

Hermione instinctively reached to feel her ears, not noticing a difference. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Luna.”

The blonde just hummed in response. 

“So, Hermione. This is the first time in  _ ages _ that I’ve seen you without the boys around and I need to know,” Ginny’s eyes glinted mischievously. “How has it been living with Sirius?”

“Fine,” she answered much too quickly. Ginny’s smirk grew. Uh oh. 

“Just fine? No other  _ juicy  _ details you would like to share with the class, Miss Granger?”

“Honestly, Gin, what did you expect to hear? Sirius and I are friends, we get on great. I truly couldn’t have asked for a better roommate.”

“Oh come  _ on,  _ ‘Mione. Do you mean to tell me  _ nothing _ has happened? Two single, attractive people, alone in that giant house, with all those bedrooms-”

“And ze showers,” Fleur interjected. 

“And the gardens! They say that arousal is heightened with the presence of pollen in the air. I know when Ron and I-”

“Ugh, gross, Luns, that’s my brother,” Ginny interjected. Hermione smiled at Ginny’s familiar response, one she had heard many times during her relationship with Ron. 

“To answer your question, no, nothing has happened and nothing will. Even if I wanted something to happen,  _ which I don’t _ ,” Hermione looked at Ginny’s amused grin. “It would never work. He’s twenty years older than me and Harry’s godfather, for Godric’s sake!”

“What iz twenty years, when you will live to be two hundred?” Fleur asked. 

“We don’t even know how old Sirius really is now, anyway,” Luna said. 

“So, really, Hermione, your only excuse is Harry,” Ginny said. “And you know he wouldn’t stop either of you, he loves you.”

Hermione sighed, “You guys are being ridiculous. There is nothing going on between Sirius and me, so while your support is appreciated, it is highly unnecessary.” 

The women knew it was time to drop it, so instead, they began discussing details for the wedding. They had gotten to the topic of Luna’s choice in colours (periwinkle and an off-white) when Hermione’s love life became the topic of conversation once more. 

“Oh, Hermione! That’s the perfect colour for your maid of honour dress! Remember the Yule Ball? You looked amazing that night, everyone thought so!”

Hermione flushed under Ginny’s compliments.

“Speaking of ze Yule Ball, do you remember zat ‘andsome boy I went to ze dance with? Roger Davies?” Fleur asked. 

“Do we? He was only the fittest guy at Hogwarts for  _ years _ !” Ginny gushed. 

“Well, I saw ‘im at Gringotts last week, and he mentioned ze two of you worked together on a case zat he consulted on, ‘Ermione, and he wants to ask you to dinner.”

“Me?” Hermione’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief. 

“ _ Oui _ , shall I instruct ‘im to owl you?”

“Oh Hermione, you must!” Ginny insisted. 

“Yes,” Luna agreed. “You can even bring him to the wedding, should it go well.”

Hermione hesitated in her response. She thought it was a little hasty to consider him as a wedding date. She did, however, recognise that it had been a while since she had gone on a date. It could help her get over her Sirius situation. As silly as her infatuation with him was, it would be nice if she had someone else to distract her. 

“Okay,” she smiled softly. The women squealed and Hermione laughed at their excitement. 

* * *

Sirius was in trouble. Hermione had just left for her date with the bloke Fleur set her up with and he was pacing the kitchen trying to pretend like he didn’t know what he was feeling.

But he did. 

Hermione was off-limits, he knew that. If not by virtue of her age, but by her proximity to Harry. His godson would probably be disgusted by the thoughts he had about his pretty friend, and with the temper of his father, who knows how he would react if Sirius tried to make a move on her.

He couldn’t lose anyone else. 

Deciding he didn’t want to deal with human emotions anymore, he shifted into his Animagus form and escaped for some fresh air. Sirius wasn’t sure how long he was out roaming the neighbourhood, the November nights got dark so early it could have been 6 p.m. or midnight. He trotted up to the front step where he knew no Muggles could see him and shifted back to let himself in the house. 

Walking up the staircase he saw light coming from under the library doors. Upon checking a clock on the wall he saw it was only 10 o’clock. Not expecting Hermione home so early, he went to investigate. 

She was home, still in her dress, barefoot with a book on her lap. 

“What is it you’re reading?”

Hermione startled at the interruption, not noticing Sirius had entered the library and was leaning on a shelf opposite to her seat on the sofa. He watched her straighten from her relaxed position, moving her feet from where they were perched at the edge of the coffee table to tucked underneath her. 

She looked slightly apprehensive as when she answered. “Oh, it’s a translation of Orestes, a-”

“Greek play,” Sirius interrupted, wandering the aisle and running his fingers across the spines of the old tomes. He knew she wasn’t used to having people actually interested in what she read, as they usually were just teasing. “Euripides, correct?”

“Yes, you knew that?”

He smirked to himself at the surprise in her voice as he lazily browsed the shelves. “I’m quite a fan of the classics.”

“Is that so?” 

He heard the teasing in her voice and flashed a grin at her. “Yes, don’t you see me as a Herculean type?”

She snorted. “Narcissus, more like it.”

“Ouch, babe,” he smirked. He sat next to her, an action that was more than familiar after their many nights in that library. “Why are you home so early?”

He watched her shoulders slump defeatedly. “I don’t know, Sirius, I just wasn’t feeling it, I guess.”

“ _ It _ ?” He inquired.

“He is a wonderful man, attractive, intelligent, I just…” 

He could see she was keeping something from him. “What is it, Hermione?”

She let out a small laugh, “You’re going to think it’s stupid.”

He turned so he faced her, smiling, “Never.”

“Okay,” she smiled at him shyly. “It started out alright. He was very complimentary, made comments about how he admired my independence, confidence at work, intelligence, et cetera, nothing I’m not used to hearing since the war-”

“And you say I am narcissistic?” 

“Sirius Black, I am woman enough to know my strengths and not need to belittle them.”

At the word ‘woman’, his eyes involuntary raked down her body before snapping back to meet hers. “You’re right, babe. Continue?”

She huffed. “Once dinner ended I insisted I pay for myself, as I always do, and he didn’t try to argue with me. I noted that it was refreshing for a wizard to accept my beliefs and he said he liked a witch that could take care of herself. 

“Then, he took me into another room of the restaurant that was set up for dancing, and, well…”

He looked at her expectantly. 

“Well, he made  _ me _ lead!”

Sirius burst into a barking laugh. He only stopped when he saw the frown on her face. 

“I told you that you would think it was stupid!”

“I don’t think it’s stupid at all, babe. In fact,” Sirius stood and stretched out his hand for her to grab.

“What are you doing, Sirius?” She tentatively placed her hand in his, sending shocks up his arm as she stood to meet him. 

He walked her out to the middle of the library. Facing her, he pulled his wand from his trouser pocket and pointed it at the old gramophone in the corner of the room. Immediately the room filled with music and Hermione’s laughter.

“I’m going to show you what it’s like to be led by a man. Walburga’s insistence on ballroom lessons won’t be going to waste after all.”

He wrapped his arm around her, his hand splayed out over her back, while she reached up to hold onto his shoulder, their other hands still already intertwined. 

He began to lead her in a waltz all around the library, zigzagging through the stacks while she laughed as she tripped over her feet or stepped on his toes. 

Sirius sang along, “ _ You make me feel so young, you make me feel so spring has sprung. And every time I see you grin I’m such a happy individual. _ ”

His smile grew as he watched the blush creep up her cheeks. Sirius didn’t know how long he spun her around the old library, but after a series of dips and lifts they ended up back where they started, swaying slowly in front of the fireplace. 

“Thank you, Sirius,” Hermione said softly, breaking the silence only filled by the old gramophone. He looked down into her wide eyes. She was much closer than when they began. 

“Anytime,” he nearly whispered. 

“I know it is terribly patriarchal of me,” she started. “To want something so silly.”

“Nonsense.”   
  


“It is. I think it’s just because no one expects it from me. I just feel like there is so much pressure on me sometimes. The ‘Brightest Witch of Her Age’, brains of the Golden Trio. Everyone thinks I have everything under control, especially after years of looking after Harry and Ron. I am supposed to be strong, capable of taking care of myself.”

Sirius didn’t respond. He couldn’t help the swelling feeling in his chest knowing that she trusted him enough to open up to him. 

“Is it so much to ask for someone else to take care of me?” Hermione’s voice was raw with emotion. 

Her question reminded him of their conversation when he entered the library and the book she was reading. 

“I’ll take care of you.”

Her eyes lit with an unidentifiable emotion, understanding what her next line was. “It’s rotten work.”

“Not to me,” he brushed a curl behind her ear, cupping her jaw in his tattooed hand. “Not if it’s you.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the song, if you don't know, is "you make me feel so young" by frank sinatra.  
> the quote at the end is from anne carson's "an oresteia" a translation not published until 2009 I believe, but we can ignore that  
> still no posting schedule, I just post whenever I finish a chapter. i know that can be annoying sometimes, but if it's any consolation the next chapter features a wedding!


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